July 20265 min read
Asia Hedge Fund Hiring: Where is Demand Growing in 2026?
Asia’s investment management market continues to grow, with Singapore and Hong Kong seeing increasing assets and investment activity.
In Singapore, hedge fund assets under management reached S$343 billion in 2025, up 5% year on year, while Hong Kong’s wider asset and wealth management industry recorded a 20% increase in AUM to a record HK$42.2 trillion.
Against this backdrop, Selby Jennings is seeing larger hedge funds build their presence across Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan. Some client offices have grown from only a handful of professionals to teams of more than 20, contributing to demand for portfolio managers, analysts and traders.
In our latest market update, Shayeree Davda, Senior Vice President and investment management specialist at Selby Jennings in Singapore, explores where hiring is increasing, how firms are competing for proven performers and what could shape Asia’s hedge fund talent market over the coming months.
Watch the video for Shayeree’s perspective, or explore the key trends shaping the market below.
Where is hedge fund hiring growing in Asia?
Hiring demand varies by market and strategy.
Singapore remains a key hub for hedge fund hiring, with Selby Jennings seeing particular appetite across macro and commodities. Hong Kong continues to be an important market for equities, while Japan has developed more aggressively over the past year. Demand for professionals with Mainland China equities coverage also remains evident.
Firms are also diversifying their strategies. Equity managers are building macro capabilities, while macro funds are expanding into equities. Systematic hedge funds are also adding fundamental equity expertise across Singapore and Hong Kong.
Portfolio managers remain in high demand
Demand is particularly strong at the portfolio management level.
Top-performing portfolio managers from established funds continue to attract interest, with their moves often creating subsequent demand for analysts and traders as new teams are built around them.
As Shayeree explains:
The demand for top-performing portfolio managers is always high, no matter the region, especially in equities.
Strong performance among Asian funds over recent years has only increased competition for this talent.
Retention is reshaping the hiring market
As competition increases, hedge funds are becoming more sophisticated in how they retain their strongest performers.
Deferred compensation is one example. Selby Jennings is seeing significant buyouts required to compensate professionals for deferred earnings when they move, while some deferral periods are extending considerably beyond three years.
Non-compete periods are also increasing. Six months may once have been more typical, but Shayeree is now seeing periods stretch to nine, 12, 15, and even 18 months.
This can significantly lengthen a search. It can also leave hiring managers considering whether a professional who has spent an extended period away from the market will still offer exactly the same proposition when they eventually join.
Another challenge is candidates accepting an offer and subsequently deciding not to join, sometimes in favour of another firm. Shayeree says some firms are responding by introducing significant contractual payments should a new hire ultimately fail to start.
For employers, securing sought-after talent increasingly requires more than winning the initial offer.
A smaller talent pool is increasing compensation pressure
The concentration of experienced hedge fund talent in Asia adds another dimension to the competition.
As Shayeree explains:
Given the fact that the talent pools in Asia are quite small, obviously the demand for top talent requires increasing compensation.
Large buyouts, extended deferrals, and competitive compensation packages can all form part of securing an established performer.
For hiring managers, understanding these dynamics before approaching the market can help establish realistic expectations around compensation, availability, and the time required to secure a preferred candidate.
Firms are becoming more flexible on location
Where professionals need to be based is also becoming more fluid.
Singapore remains an attractive destination for both local and international talent, although employment pass requirements can create additional considerations for employers.
Against a backdrop of geopolitical change, Shayeree is also seeing clients become more flexible about location. With offices across Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Australia, firms have greater scope to consider talent across the region rather than within a single financial center.
What could drive hedge fund hiring over the next six months?
Hiring activity is likely to continue, but the strongest demand may emerge in specific areas.
Shayeree expects further opportunities as funds diversify between macro and equities and between quantitative and discretionary strategies. Analyst hiring within quant funds is also expected to continue, alongside sustained competition for the highest-performing portfolio managers.
For hedge funds looking to grow in Asia, knowing where specialist talent sits and what it takes to attract that talent will be increasingly important.
Watch the full market update with Shayeree Davda to hear more about the forces shaping hedge fund hiring across Asia.
Speak to a hedge fund recruitment specialist
Whether you are building an investment team or considering your next career move, Selby Jennings can provide insight into hiring activity, compensation and talent availability across Asia’s hedge fund market.